Gorgeous Simplicity Fabric

 Have you seen the high quality fabrics now on sale at Jaycotts If you haven't then you are missing out. 

This fabric is made from 100% Organic cotton , there are many other  fabulous prints on  their website,  but it is the Simplicity  designs I want to show you today and give you some ideas what you can  make with them 

This is my interpretation of how to use this fabric. However as I aim my blog at sewing newbies I feel that there are other patterns which would be easier and quicker to sew and would look every bit as good as this dress 

My dress took a long time to make. There were a lot of fitting issues and all this whilst  trying to keep the design pattern matched. 

This pattern has a waist seam, princess seams and a wide skirt which meant that I was not able to cut the wide skirt out on the fold and therefore there was extra pattern matching at the centre front and back.

It is also meant to be lined but I omitted the lining and cut facings out instead.

I finished my dress yesterday  and today I went out in it. I was delighted at how many people came up to me and said how much they liked the fabric. I admit that I have never had that reaction before but thinking about it this fabric is very special and  caught people's attention in a very nice way. 

There is also plain fabric and I used some to make a contrasting belt which works very well. I was going to make a jacket in it but did not want to detract from the printed fabric.

There is a huge selection of plain Cotton fabrics which you can use to add accents to your prints Painters Palette Self Coloured Cotton Fabric there is every possible colour in this range and  they contrast and  compliment the prints beautifully 

The range of Simplicity prints is beautiful don't you agree. You can order them (and more) on Simplicity Organic Cotton Fabric

My dress turned out beautifully  but as I mentioned earlier I feel that there are other patterns which with hindsight I may have chosen instead 

Firstly though I do get asked a lot of questions and last months questions were mostly about choosing the correct pattern size. 

There is a lot of confusion as to why when you purchase a dress pattern in your commercial dress size it does not fit. Most beginner's don't bother to keep trying the garment on as they sew and wonder why it does not fit,

 It is a fact that pattern sizes are different from commercial dress sizes so the first thing I want you to do is to get down to your underwear and find your tape measure and a note book and start measuring yourself. Start with the bust, waist and hip , then as you become a more experienced sewer you can add other measurements too. 

I know from experience that I have quite a boyish figure with slim hips and very narrow shoulders . I have  hollow back too. My pattern adjustments are almost always to take in the bust , let out the waist and increase the depth of the shoulder seams. If I am making a skirt or trousers then I need to reduce the depth of the centre back by 1/2".  But I always,  every time, try on and adjust every seam every time.

You might have to hunt for pattern measurements,  the back of the pattern has the measurements printed on, but the actual finished sizes will usually be found on the pattern pieces themselves . This measurement shows the finished measurements including wearing ease which can vary.

So take into account both of these measurements and compare them to your own measurements.  If making a top you should choose the pattern size with a bust size closest  to your own, if making pants or skirt then go by your hip measurement.  The waist measurement can be adjusted quite easily by adding extra seam allowances. Go to the next size up if you are between sizes .

There is a lot more to fitting but this will get you started.

Patterns for prints 

I have some patterns to show you which I feel would be more suitable for sewing such lovely prints. We want as few seams as possible so plain shift dresses are ideal 

This is a pattern I have made many times .Shift dresses  there is a centre front seam but you can omit it by marking a line 5/8" in from the front edge and placing that line on the fold.

This is another shift dress Shift dresses

Another Dress and tote I have made. The Tote bag is a good option if you do not yet feel confident making a dress 

Finally take a look at this section of patterns Craft and home as the printed fabrics are perfect for aprons, sewing machine covers and many other things. 

Whatever pattern you choose take care to match the pattern at the sides and sleeve head. You will not manage to match every seam all the way because of darts and  curves so go for visual appeal and if it looks good and fits well congratulate yourself on a job well done 

Thank you for reading this post. Do not hesitate to contact Jaycotts on 01244 394099 with all questions,  queries  and orders , experts are waiting to help you to get the best out of your sewing experience. 

Angela 

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